Car-coupling



(No Model.)4 1

F.`M. RIGKER.4

Oar Coupling.. l

No. 237,321. Path'ted F'eb. 1, 1881.y

WITNESSES INVENTOR N. PETERS, PHDTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHPNGTON, D. C4

` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS M. RICKER, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,321, dated February 1, 1881.

Application led June 26, 188D. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern YBe it known that I, FRANCIS M. RICKEE, of Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have in vented a new and valuable Improvement in Car-Couplin gs and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and tigures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a longitudinal section of my improved can coupling. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the drawhead, and Fig. 3 is a detail.

This invention has relation to improvements in car-couplin gs 5 and it consists in a buffer on the draw-bar projected by a spring and connected to a slide-bloclr in the chamber1 of the draw-bar aforesaid, which block supports the pin, and when thrust back by the contact of the buffers allows the pin to drop through the link, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A. designates a drawbar, suspended in the usual manner at the end of a car, and provided with a rectangular chamber, a., in which is arranged a slide-block, B, having au undercut front end, b. On the under side of this draw-bar is formed a rectangular recess, c, and in rear of said recess and in continuation thereof a narrow groove, d, in which is seated a' spiral spring, s, bearing against the inner end or heel of the shank d ofthe buer C. This buffer has free endwise movement in the recess c and conforms in shape thereto. It is projected by the spring s, so that its head reaches out a considerable distance beyond the front of the draw-bar. The spring and buffer are confined in their respective recesses by means of the metallic plate D, secured to the body of the draw-bar by means of screws. The recesses c d may, however, be cast in the draw-bar if l so elect, and the spring s putin position through a slot in its side. In the bottom of the draw-bar chamber is formed a longitudinal slot, f, in which is engaged a stud, g, of tubular formin which is received a pin, t', on the shank of the buffer. Consequently as the said buffer is projected the slide is also drawn forward under the pin-hole g in the top of the draw-bar, and a pin, F, in serted in said hole cannot drop through the chamber into theslotf. This is accomplished when the buffers C on adjoining cars come together, are thrust inward into their respective recesses and push the slides back past the holes g, when the pin F falls through a coupling-link, L, into engagement with the slot j', thus effecting a coupling automatically.

It will be observed that the slide is not thrust back into its chamber by the impact of the link, but by the coming together of the buffers C in the draw-bars, by which means the said slides are prevented from being battered, and the links from being bent and broken. These buffers also moderate the shock 'when the draw-bars come together.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In an automatic pin-and-link coupling, the spring-projected endwise-movable buffer connected to a slide moving end'wise in a chambered draw-bar and supporting the coup ling-pin, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with a drawbar, A, having the chamber a, and the sliding block B, arranged iu said chamber and supporting the pin F, of an endwise-rnovable spring'projected buffer. C, recessed into the lower portion of the draw-bar and connected to the said slide, whereby they move back and forth together, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the draw-bar A, having the longitudinal recesses c d on its under side, and a rectangular chamber, a, above said recesses and communicating therewith by a longitudinal slot, f, and the slide B, having tubular stud g ou its under side, of the spring projected buffer C engaging recess c, and having the pin t entering the stud and connecting the slide and buffer, substantially asI specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS MOORE RICKER.

Witnesses HENRY P. IVEs, Anc. P. IvEs. 

